I was delighted to receive an eQSL from Channel Z Radio in the USA, after hearing him on the SW England SDR during the Global HF Weekend in early November. In his email he said Channel Z has been on the air since 2004 and has been heard in North America, across Europe plus Venezuela, Japan and New Zealand. He was using a Dave Martin (of WNKR) designed Commando transmitter.

Also today I received an eQSL from Radio Nova International, broadcasting from the east coast of Ireland. In his email Tony talked about his long interest in radio, the pirate scene in Ireland and his plan to broadcast on 75m. He also mentioned he was big fan of the original Radio Nova - hence the name.

Some of you will have seen my Pirate Memories blog featuring audio clips and QSLs from many of
the shortwave pirates from the 1980s.

I have given it a bit of a revamp with a new template and also now embedded the audio clips into each post making it easier to click on and listen to the recordings.

Going through it, what struck me is just how many British and Irish shortwave stations there were in the 1980s, with names like Radio Gemini, Radio Apollo, Weekend Music Radio and West European Free Radio from the UK.

Of the 100 plus station recordings, the majority are from the UK and Ireland, plus clips from stations around Europe, including the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden.

In addition to the shortwave stations, there's also clips of some 1980s medium wave and FM stations from the London area, like Thameside Radio, Radio Floss and a clip of Radio Jackie broadcasting during a raid!